The Portal Keeper

by S. T. Sanchez

  Neely led the way with Spots flying beside her.

  Niko tapped Ajax on the shoulder as he started to follow.

  He turned and waited for the rhino to speak.

  The rhinoceros stomped his hooves a few times and cleared his throat. “You did good, boy,” he commended him quickly, then mumbled something under his breath that might possibly have been a thank you, and strode off.

  Ajax stood there, stunned. After a moment, he hurried to catch up with the group. They walked in silence, listening for any sounds from sandworms. Ajax noticed Niko glancing at him from time to time, but now his look was more curious as opposed to his previous hostile glares.

  “Keep alert. According to the instructions Fez provided me we should be coming upon his residence soon.”

  They hiked over a few more dunes and spotted a dome hut. Ajax wondered what it was made from. It resembled sand, but he had no idea how it was held together. From a distance, this house would be very easy to overlook—it camouflaged itself beautifully.

  There were several of the twisty cacti around his residence. A couple didn’t have spines.

  “We need to wait here,” Neely announced. “Spots, I don’t know the range of these plants. Fly ahead and see if Fez is home. I would feel more at peace if he guided us in.”

  Ajax stopped as the bug flew to the house and started shouting through the door. It swung open after a moment and an animal emerged. The creature looked to be akin to a relative of the turtle in the loosest sense.

  It was a golden-brown color, easy to blend in with the sand. He had a thick shell similar to that of a turtle, but it was covered in thin sharp spines, resembling those of a cactus. He was thin and lanky.

  He walked slowly and gracefully, almost dancing between the plants until he reached their group.

  “Neely,” the tort greeted. “I was beginning to doubt that you’d ever make it out this far. How long has it been? Forty years?”

  Neely smiled and did an odd embrace with her arm. “You have a good memory, Fez, my dear. Forty-two according to my calculations.” She turned to Niko and Ajax. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought along some of my companions.”

  “Well,” Fez said, glancing at his abode, “it will be tight quarters but there’s nothing to be done now.” He motioned them forward. “Come, come. Let’s get out of the heat. Follow my lead.”

  Ajax tried to place his feet exactly where the tort had stepped. He could imagine a hundred red spines shooting towards him. He didn’t know if his medallion would protect him from plant life and was in no hurry to find out. Ajax let out a deep breath once they had made their way through the perilous plants.

  The small home was surprisingly cool inside. Once they had all entered it was rather tight. There were two big flat rocks along with a wooden table in the center of the main room.

  “Take a seat,” the tort motioned to Neely.

  She sat on one of the rocks. Ajax didn’t want to be rude and noticed Niko didn’t move to sit, so he followed suit and stood.

  Fez walked over and took the other seat.

  “So, I take it this isn’t wholly a social visit?” the tort guessed, giving the rhino and Ajax a funny look.

  “I see your wit hasn’t dulled these past years,” Neely smiled. “We are looking for someone and thought you might be able to offer us aid.”

  “You want to bring the sorcerer to Nogard.”

  Ajax stepped forward. “Can you read thoughts, too?”

  The tort laughed for a long moment. “If only it were as easy as that. No young sir, I can’t read your mind as my friend here can.”

  “Then how did you know?” Spots asked.

  Ajax jumped. He hadn’t realized the bug had settled on Niko’s shoulder.

  “That he’s a sorcerer? Cloak gave it away. Dragons scales are the mark of a magician.”

  “Dragon scales?” Niko repeated, picking up the back of the cape and feeling it in his hand. “I think you’re mistaken.”

  “Oh, I can’t see the individual scales; you won’t see them either, Rhino. But you know what I’m talking about,” the tort eyed Ajax knowingly.

  Dragon scales. He had known there was something different about the fabric.

  “What about Nogard? How did you know we were looking for him?” Ajax asked.

  “You came all the way out to find an old tort. You’re looking for someone. And Nogard is a sorcerer trainer.” He shrugged. “Just putting two and two together.”

  Neely leaned forward across the table. “He trains the magicians? That’s new. I’ve never heard that. I only thought he was well known as the seer who made the prophecy.”

  Fez smiled. “Most have forgotten his other role. Especially once the sorcerers were hunted down by the elves. He disappeared and with no one to train, I can see how that part was forgotten over the years.”

  “Do you know where he is?” Ajax enquired.

  Fez stood up and began across the room. “Anyone hungry?” he asked as he picked up a large red melon.

  “I could eat,” Niko answered.

  “I’ve been alive a long time,” Fez began as he sliced the melon. “I’ve even crossed paths with Nogard twice.”

  “Really?” Neely replied, clearly surprised.

  The tort nodded, but didn’t turn around. He scooped up the sliced fruit and set it on a platter.

  “Last time I saw him…” Fez paused as he offered some of the fruit to Niko.

  The rhinoceros picked up two big slices and tossed them into his mouth. Fez offered a piece to Ajax, but he was too eager to find out what the tort knew to eat anything.

  “He said he spent most of his time in the mountains of Rafa.” Fez set the platter on the table between himself and Neely and sat back down. “I remember something about the highest peak…” He took a bite out of the melon and swallowed. “This was about twenty years ago. I’ve no idea if that still rings true today.”

  Neely looked deep in thought as she nibbled on a slice.

  Ajax turned to face Niko. “How far are the mountains from here?”

  He shrugged. “Probably no more than a couple of days, but that’s not the problem. The range itself is huge, with perilous cliffs and rockslides. It would take weeks, if not months, to search them all and this is on twenty-year-old information.”

  Ajax allowed the weight of this news to sink in. Weeks, months. He couldn’t ask this of his friends. It was too much. They had lives and things to do. Wouldn’t it look suspicious if they disappeared from their ship for several weeks? He would have to go on his own from here.

  “A hard march north of here will get you to the foot of the mountains in a day,” Fez corrected.

  “Thank you for the information,” Ajax said. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

  Neely stood. “I feel that we should stay the night here.” She turned back to her acquaintance. “If it wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience?”

  “No,” Ajax disagreed forcefully. “I’m going on my own from here. You have already done so much for me. I know you have your own lives to get back to. I can’t put you in anymore danger.” He moved towards the door, but Niko stepped in his path.

  “We are not going to abandon you. We all know the risks,” he grunted.

  Spots fluttered over. “You’re stuck with us, lad.”

  Neely took his hand. “There is no going back,” she acknowledged.

  He thought about just nodding his head and then slipping out while they were sleeping, but Neely’s shocked expression reminded him why that wouldn’t work.

  Her face relaxed and she went and rejoined her friend.

  Neely and Fez conversed for a while. They spoke about their journeys and the time that had passed between visits.

  When the evening rolled around, the tort served them a cactus soup and they started finding spots on the ground to rest for the night.

  Ajax assumed Neely must have shared his thought about leaving at night with Niko, because the rhino made his bed blo
cking the door to the hut. Ajax fell asleep easier that night, feeling blessed to have met and made such fine companions here.

  In the morning, they made their goodbyes to Fez and vowed if they had to cross the desert on their journey home that they would stop in again. Fez had been a superb host. He gifted a pack to Ajax, and filled their bags with dried cactus and extra water skins.

  They left before light. The tort had informed them that it would be a hard day of walking and the group was all eager to be finished with the desert. By midday when they stopped to eat, Ajax could see the mountains off in the distance.

  Spots gagged on a bite of cactus. “Ugh. The cactus soup was bad enough, but dried cactus is even worse.”

  Neely laughed. “I still have a couple of dried fish,” she offered.

  “Let’s save them until I am really sick of this plant,” Spots suggested, remembering the large pile Fez had given them.

  Ajax bit a large chunk off. “It’s not that bad. At least I can still feel my mouth.” He laughed, remembering how spicy those eggs had been.

  Niko clapped him on the back. “I can’t wait ‘til you try something with a real kick to it.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll pass—anything spicier than those eggs would probably kill me.”

  Niko laughed loudly, but Ajax hadn’t been joking.

  The second half of the day passed slowly. No matter how far they hiked the mountains didn’t seem to get any larger.

  Ajax finally began to simply look at the feet in front of him, so that when he finally looked up, he could tell they were making progress.

  “Do you have seasons here?” Ajax asked. Seeing their confused expressions, he elaborated. “Alterations in the weather. Does it ever get cooler, or does it rain or snow?”

  Neely nodded. “Two times a year it gets so cold you cannot exit your home.”

  “That’s it?” he confirmed incredulously. “Just two days? What about rain?”

  Spots flew over to join the conversation. “It rains now and again. But it is not the rainy time for a few more weeks.”

  “What about snow?”

  “What is snow?” Neely asked.

  Ajax pointed to the mountains. “Where I am from if the rain gets cold it changes to a white color. It covers the tops of mountains. It is wet and slick. Sometimes it can be hard.”

  Niko laughed. “How can water be hard? Your world is too strange,” he chuckled again, shaking his head.

  The closer they got to the mountains, the more nervous and eager Ajax became. The seer had to be there. If Nogard could see the future, perhaps he could tell him where Axel, Niv, and the Prince were. It was hard to imagine that he might soon be reunited with his brother.

  When they reached the edge of the mountains, Ajax realized how foolish it had been to get his hopes up. The mountain range before him was hundreds of feet high, and miles long. He thought back to Niko’s comment about it taking months, and felt that he had been completely off. Years came to mind when Ajax looked at the immenseness of the range.

  “Let’s camp here for the night,” Niko proposed.

  “Or you could accompany me and be my guests.”

  Ajax turned to see an enormous green dragon standing before him. He stumbled back. “Run!” he called to the others.

  Instead of running, Neely walked up to the dragon. Niko and Spots followed her.

  “What are you doing?” Ajax yelled. “Get back!”

  The rhino looked at him. “You fought a sandworm, but you’re scared of one man?” He shook his head.

  “What man?” Ajax asked, looking up at the big creature who was getting closer.

  Spots flew over to Ajax. “What are you looking at?” he questioned, looking in the same direction as his friend.

  Neely ignored Ajax. “You wouldn’t happen to be Nogard?” she guessed.

  “You found me,” the dragon smiled.

  Ajax stepped forward hesitantly. He took his medallion out and held it up. “Don’t harm my friends,” he implored as he cautiously stepped forward.

  “Oh, little wizard, how confused you must be. Come, there is a cave not far from here. We will discuss things; all will be made clear.” He winked.

  “Put the medallion away,” Neely insisted. “You’re being rude and acting crazy.”

  “Oh, he’s not crazy,” Nogard began. “To make things easier, I will return to my true form.”

  Niko pulled out his ax. “Dddrragon,” he stuttered, wielding his weapon hesitantly above his head.

  Neely stepped back. “It’s a dragon.”

  “Now you can see him?” Ajax asked, confused.

  The green monster spun around, swishing his tail barely above their heads. “If I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Come, I don’t wish to discuss important things in the open.”

  “How do we know you are really Nogard?” Ajax asked defiantly.

  The dragon laughed. “You know, when I first came up with it, I thought it was rather obvious. I really didn’t think I’d fool anyone. But so far, no one has figured it out. Sometimes simple is the easiest solution.” The dragon pointed to a cave about a half mile away. “That’s where I’ll be if you decide to believe me.” He started sauntering in the direction he had pointed and then called over his shoulder. “And to answer your question, spell Nogard backwards.” He laughed and continued walking.

  Ajax sat pondering to himself. Nogard. D…R…A…G…O…N. DRAGON. He shook his head. Nogard was a dragon. And the dragon had been right, it did seem so obvious now.

  Neely laughed. “Well, I think it’s safe to say we found him.”

  The rhino stepped forward. “Perhaps, but is he trustworthy? He seems a little off to me.”

  “Probably from living out here all desolated,” Spots guessed.

  Ajax stepped forward. “I have to go. If he has knowledge of my brother or Niv…” he paused, “or even Blake. Then I have to risk it.”

  Niko nodded. “Ok, let’s go.”

  “You don’t hav—”

  “We get it,” Spots interrupted.

  Neely put her arm around him. “I am not going to forego my one chance to converse with a dragon. I thought they were all extinct.”

  Ajax looked at his companions. “There is no turning back after this.”

  “Let’s go,” Niko called out.

  Chapter XIV

  A gentle touch woke Niv out of her slumber.

  “Niv,” Leif whispered.

  It was still dark outside, and Niv felt very groggy, so she didn’t feel as if she could have slept long.

  “I saw something,” the elf began. “Not far from here, maybe a mile or two. It was a light. I am going to go check it out.”

  Niv shook her head. “If it’s that far away let’s just leave it undisturbed.”

  “I cannot. It could be elves searching for me or you. We may need to enter the forest sooner than expected.”

  Niv started to reach for her bag. “Then let’s depart now,” she argued.

  He shook his head. “I do not want to risk getting to the chasm in the dark unless it is our only option.” He placed his hand on her arm reassuringly. “I am very skilled at avoiding detection, even from another elf. I will return soon.”

  He jogged off into the distance, leaving Niv alone with the slumbering cambriar.

  Falling into a deep chasm wasn’t very high on her to-do list, but being captured by elves was even lower. She hoped he was wrong. Especially after hearing how sick Leif’s father had been in his treatment with Sky. She looked at the hoosula, sleeping soundly, unaware of the possible danger headed their way and envied him.

  Time seemed to stand still. After what felt like hours she saw movement in the distance. But the dark figure seemed much bigger than Leif.

  The shadow grew even larger as it approached.

  Niv shook Sky. “Wake up,” she whispered.

  He stretched. “Is it morning already?” he yawned, opening his eyes. “Um. No.”

&n
bsp; “Shhh!” she whispered. “Something huge is coming.”

  Sky jumped up. “Where’s Leif?” he asked in a hushed tone.

  “Not here. He went to check out something he saw and never came back.”

  The cambriar scanned the area. “It’s a dragon!” he exclaimed, forgetting to be quiet.

  “A dragon? Are you kidding me?” Nivara asked.

  The blue creature started to shimmer and transformed into his larger size.

  “Climb on,” Sky whispered urgently.

  Niv pulled herself up onto the back of the blue hoosula.

  Sky looked back one more time and paused.

  “There is a human with the dragon, and someone else,” he replied, straining to see in the dark.

  Niv patted the side of his neck. “Let’s go! They are getting closer.”

  “Just a moment, there is something about the way the other one is walking.” He paused. “It’s Leif.”

  Niv felt relief flood through her, but it only lasted a moment. There was still a dragon approaching quickly.

  The elf noticed Niv and Sky ready to sprint off, and jogged towards them. “It is all okay,” he called. “Sky, I found your brother!”

  Sky’s eyes widened. “The dragon?” he confirmed.

  “Sky?” the dragon asked hesitantly. “Is it really you, brother?”

  “Yes!” Sky ran forward. “What do I call you, brother?”

  The dragon stopped in front of the hoosula. Niv slid off feeling as if she was intruding on a special moment.

  “Call me Squeak.”

  Niv wiped away a tear. She remembered Sky telling her how he was procured as a baby. It was so sad he didn’t even know his brother’s name, he was acquired so young.

  Another tear ran down her cheek as she gazed happily at them nuzzling up to each other, the love so apparent in their eyes. She hoped they would never be separated again.

  “Nivara?” a voice called.

  Niv turned. “Prince Blake?” she asked, stunned to see him really in front of her.

  She offered a curtsey, and he ran towards her and embraced her.

  “I can’t believe you came for me,” Blake smiled, relieved.